


A Puzzle I Love to Solve

by brilliantbanshee



Category: 9-1-1: Lone Star (TV 2020)
Genre: Alex Is His Own Warning, Carlos just wants to learn more about his boyfriend, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff, M/M, TK is ashamed of the mistakes he has made, alex is the worst, but guess what they're still so in love it's gross, lots of jokes about pizza
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-01
Updated: 2020-07-01
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:07:15
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25022140
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brilliantbanshee/pseuds/brilliantbanshee
Summary: When TK gets an invitation to a friend’s wedding back in New York, he’s torn. He does miss his hometown and there are people he’d like to see, but there are some he’d like to never have to see again. He knows at least one of them will be at this wedding. But he feels stronger with Carlos by his side; confident in this thing that they have.Carlos is thrilled for a chance to see the Big Apple, but is more excited to learn more about his boyfriend; to see where TK came from, and the place and people that made him who he is. TK worries that some of the things from his past will change Carlos’s mind about them, but Carlos is in for the long game – he wants to know every inch of TK; even the not so nice ones.
Relationships: Carlos Reyes/TK Strand
Comments: 50
Kudos: 435
Collections: 9-1-1 Lone Star ▶ Carlos Reyes / Tyler Kennedy "TK" Strand, 9-1-1 Tales





	A Puzzle I Love to Solve

**Author's Note:**

> Another prompt fill for [lauraperfectinsanity](https://lauraperfectinsanity.tumblr.com/) on tumblr. 
> 
> Prompt #19 said: TK has to go back to NYC for an old friend’s wedding and he brings Carlos as his date, even if they’re dating for only a few months. At the reception, they meet Alex, who thought he would meet a heartbroken and lonely TK, begging to be taken back

“What are you thinking for dinner tonight?” TK called as he stepped into the kitchen. He and Carlos had stopped by the Strand’s house so TK could switch over his stuff and get changed before heading back to Carlos’s. By some miracle, they had some mutual days off ahead of them and were planning on getting some takeout and not leaving the couch (or the bedroom) for the next 48 hours. Hence, the stopover. TK was determined to get everything taken care of now in order to maximize the time they had together. 

Carlos shrugged from the doorway, “I don’t care. Maybe something simple, like pizza?”

TK looked up from the mail he was sorting to glare at Carlos, “Nope, you know how I feel about the so-called “pizza” here. We’re not doing that.” 

Carlos rolled his eyes, “Fine, no pizza you snob.” 

“I am not a snob, that is just not pizza.” 

“Can we settle on Chinese then? Or do you have an NYC objection to that too?”

TK huffed as he looked back to the mail, “I do not. Chinese would be good.” He continued to shuffle through the mail, sorting it into piles. The problem with working back to back 24-hour shifts with two adults in the household is that the mail tended to pile up very quickly. He placed another envelope into his dad’s pile before he caught sight of the next envelope in the stack and froze.

Carlos, who had been watching him from the doorway, frowned, “TK?” he asked hesitantly, “everything okay?”

When his boyfriend didn’t respond he crossed the kitchen to see what had caused him to freeze. He came up behind him and placed a steady hand on his shoulder before gently plucking the envelope from the top of the stack. It was an envelope made of rich, cream-colored paper, the address written in delicate calligraphy on the front. Carlos frowned at it, “it looks like an invitation.” 

TK swallowed and nodded slowly, “to a wedding,” he confirmed. 

Carlos studied him, “a wedding you object to?” he asked tentatively.

“No,” TK said quickly, “no, I knew they’d get around to it eventually and I’m happy for them. It’s just...I didn’t think they’d bother to invite me. I mean, I kind of cut out of New York quickly, didn’t really leave much by the way of explanation. I just sent out a mass text saying I was moving to Texas and that was that. I really haven’t heard from any of my friends since. A few texts here and there, but nothing more.” 

“Clearly they want you there if they went through the trouble of tracking you down and inviting you. Do you not want to go? Because you don’t have to.” 

TK sighed, “It’s not that. I do want to go - they were good friends to me - but they weren’t just _my_ friends. They were _our_ friends,” he said significantly. 

Carlos sucked in a breath as he understood, “And you think he’s going to be there?”

TK nodded solemnly, “I’d put money on it. They’ve known him longer, they were the ones who introduced us, actually.” 

Carlos was quiet as he considered what to say next, turning the envelope over in his hands. 

“If you decide to do this,” he finally said, “you won’t have to do it alone.” 

TK looked up at him sharply, “Are you inviting yourself to my friends’ wedding Carlos Reyes?” he demanded with a raised eyebrow. 

“I suppose I am,” Carlos said with a chuckle. “Look, all I’m saying is that you don’t have to go - god knows being halfway across the country is more than a decent excuse. But if you do want to go, you won’t have to face it alone.” 

TK was quiet for a while as he considered. He took the envelope back from Carlos and examined it closely, running his hand over the return address, “You’ve never seen New York before, have you?” he asked softly. 

Carlos smiled, “No, I haven’t. And I hear they have pretty good pizza. I’ve been meaning to try it for a while.” 

TK took a deep breath before looking back up at Carlos with a smile, “Well, I guess I should open it then, so we can see when exactly you’ll be getting around to that pizza.” 

Carlos smiled softly at him and squeezed his shoulder gently as he slit open the envelope. 

* * *

Carlos gaped as he looked out the window of the plane approaching LaGuardia. “Wow,” he breathed out as he took in his first look of NYC from the sky. 

He looked back at TK with wide eyes and TK smiled at him, reaching over to squeeze his hand and lean closer so he could see out the window as well. “It’s impressive, isn’t it?” he asked as he looked down at the familiar city. 

“It really is,” he said breathlessly. He glanced over at TK, leaning into his space and taking in the view. “How does it feel to see it again?” he asked.

TK shrugged as he leaned back to his seat, “Honestly, too soon to tell. Ask me again when we’re on the ground.”

Carlos tracked him with his eyes as he leaned back and began to absently fiddle with the sleeves of his jacket. He reached out a hand to put on top of TK’s restless one. 

TK looked up, surprised, but Carlos looked significantly down at the hand that had been fingering his cuff. TK let out a short laugh, “I didn’t even realize.”

Carlos nodded, and gave him a gentle smile, “It’ll be okay, TK, don’t worry about it.”

TK took a deep breath and sighed, “I’m trying.”

Carlos squeezed his hand, “You can do this Ty, it’s going to be fine. Besides, even if it is a disaster, we’ll be heading back to the other end of the county in a few days.”

TK chuckled drily at that, “Just what I always wanted – to flee my hometown under a cloud of shame for the second time this year.”

Carlos rolled his eyes, “So dramatic.” TK laughed lightly, but didn’t contradict him.

A half-hour later, they were exiting the airport and TK was hailing a cab. The driver helped them load their luggage into the trunk and then they were off, heading into Manhattan. He glanced at them in the rearview mirror, “you know,” he said, “this is my favorite route to do because I love to see people take in their first view of the city. You gents ever been to the Big Apple before?”

“It’s my first time,” Carlos responded. 

“Well, welcome to New York. I hope she treats you well,” he said with a grin. “What about you?” he asked TK.

TK looked up from where he had been gazing at the skyline, “I used to live here,” he said, voice almost distant. 

“Yeah? How long?”

“26 years,” TK said, “I’ve only been gone for about a year.” 

The cab driver raised his eyebrows, “A first-timer and a homecoming, should be quite the trip.” 

TK smiles at the cabbie, but it’s tight and a bit forced. Carlos reaches over to grab his hand, winding their fingers together. 

“It’ll be fine,” he assures him again, softly. The smile he gets in return is surer, more genuine. TK squeezes his hand back before returning his gaze to the skyline with a more relaxed expression. 

Soon they are through an underwater tunnel (the Queens Midtown tunnel, TK informed him) and pulling into Manhattan. If Carlos had thought that the city was impressive from the sky, there was nothing quite like being on the ground, in the middle of it all. He stood there, unable to do anything but gape for several seconds. He looked over to see TK smiling at him, “what do you think?” he asked. 

Every inch of the street screamed of life. The sidewalks and crosswalks were packed, the sound of the traffic and construction from somewhere nearby blending with the sound of voices. The buildings rose up around them tall and imposing but gleaming in the afternoon sun. It was like nothing Carlos had ever seen. He turned to TK, “I think you better start showing me around.” 

“Anything in particular you want to see?”

Carlos threaded his arm around TK’s waist and pulled him closer, “I want to see your New York,” he said, “I want to see what is important to you, what makes you happy. I want to know everything about you Ty, and this is a pretty big piece of that puzzle. I want to start putting it together, if you’ll let me.”

TK grinned, “Be careful what you wish for Reyes; the TK Strand tour of the Big Apple is not for the faint of heart.” 

Carlos pressed his face into TK’s neck as he hummed consideringly, “I think I can handle it. I’ve had some training.” 

“Then let’s get checked in and get rid of the bags - we’ve got a lot of ground to cover.” 

They spent the rest of the day hitting the spots TK deemed necessary. It was a mix of the quintessential New York attractions and some of TK’s old haunts and favorite spots. Carlos enjoyed watching his boyfriend just as much as the sights. He was learning more and more about the other man, through the things he showed him and the stories he told. His eyes lit up when they reached something familiar and he was animated as he shared the stories of his youth; of a childhood spent in a metropolis where there was nothing under the sun deemed too far-fetched to do or see. 

At some point, they ended up outside a fire station with the numbers 252 emblazoned on the side. TK’s ebullient energy faded into something more restless, more contemplative as they stood across the street. 

Carlos watched him closely, “Do you want to go in?” he asked. 

“I should,” TK said lowly, “they were my team for years; I should stop in while I’m in town. I know my dad would want me to; would want to know how they’re doing.” 

“But you don’t want to.” 

TK was quiet for several moments before finally shaking his head. “I don’t think I can, not yet. Maybe before we leave town, but I can’t today. I’m so freaked out about seeing Alex tomorrow, and I didn’t leave under the best of circumstances. They might not even want to see me, and I don’t think I could handle that right now.” 

TK looked like he would keep rambling until he passed out, so Carlos put a hand on his shoulder and gently turned him away from the station so he was facing Carlos, “hey,” he started, voice soft, “you don’t have to do anything you’re not comfortable with. You don’t have to go in there now, you don’t have to go in there at all if you don’t want to. I am not going to think any less of you if you decide you can’t do that Tyler Kennedy. Somethings are best left in the past, and that’s okay.” 

TK took a deep breath and nodded, giving Carlos a smile that was tense, but relieved. “Thank you,” he whispered to Carlos, leaning forward to rest his forehead on his for a moment. Carlos took a deep breath as well, savoring the grounding feel that his touch had. TK pulled back from Carlos and glanced back over his shoulder. “Maybe after the wedding,” he said, “if you don’t mind coming back.” 

Carlos grabbed his hand and squeezed it, “I don’t mind anything as long as it’s with you - you should know that by now.” 

* * *

The next evening found them on the rooftop of the Beekman hotel in what was apparently called FiDi. (TK had explained to an incredulous Carlos that it stood for “Financial District.” He said it was probably meant to make it sound trendier, but Carlos thought it just made it more confusing.) The ceremony had just ended, and the guests were enjoying the views and the warm summer night on the rooftop before the reception got into full swing. Carlos had left TK chatting with some old friends as he went in search of drinks. 

The ceremony had been lovely and the room seemed to be full of old friends and acquaintances who seemed thrilled to see TK again. Both the brides had pulled him into enthusiastic hugs when they went through the receiving line, not letting them pass until they had secured a promise to meet them for lunch before they flew back to Austin. It was nice seeing TK surrounded by old friends, comfortable in a world where Carlos was not. 

Carlos knew the basics of the circumstances under which TK had left New York nearly a year ago, but he didn’t know everything. What he did know – though he had never said it – is that TK had felt like he had abandoned his friends; that they resented him for it, that he didn’t deserve to be forgiven. To be so plainly faced with a contradiction in the forms of smiles and hugs and good-natured conversations about what he had been up to, what he had missed was a balm - one he had badly needed. With every moment and every smile from an old friend, he seemed lighter. 

“Could I please have a glass of the merlot and a mineral water when you get a chance?” Carlos asked the bartender who flashed him a smile before turning to fill his order. 

He leaned against the bar to wait when an unfamiliar voice sounded beside him, “Mineral water? Trying to stay hydrated?” 

Carlos glanced up to see tall, well-dressed man standing next to him with a raised eyebrow. Carlos smiled politely, “No, my boyfriend just doesn’t like to drink.” 

The man shrugged, “To each their own, I guess. I don’t think I’ve seen you around before.” 

It was Carlos’s turn to shrug, “I came in from out of town. My boyfriend used to live here and was friends with Sania and Andi.” 

The other man nodded, and leaned closer, “And what do you do out of town?”

Carlos leaned back, ever so slightly. “I’m a cop,” he said blandly. 

That caused his eyebrows to shoot up, “Well, that must be exciting.” 

“Mmhm,” Carlos agreed vaguely. This guy was clearly not taking the hint. Carlos was just about to try to form another sentence using the phrase ‘my boyfriend’ in case the third time truly was the charm when his drinks miraculously appeared. He smiled gratefully at the bartender and slid a few bills across the bar to her before picking up the drinks and shooting the other man one last polite smile, “Well, nice talking to you, but I have to deliver this.”

He nodded, “See you around, Officer.” Carlos was gone before he had even finished his sentence. He found TK leaning against one of the cocktail tables, animatedly chatting with another old friend. He looked up and smiled when he saw Carlos approaching and thanked him for the mineral water with a smile. Carlos put an arm around his shoulders and kissed the top of his head when he leaned towards him. 

TK looked up at him, “Everything okay?” he asked, “You seem tense.”

“Yeah,” Carlos said lightly, “just some guy at the bar who couldn’t take a hint.”

“Can you blame him? You look quite sexy in that suit; in case you hadn’t noticed.”

Carlos shrugged, “Too bad for him there is only one man on this rooftop I’m interested in.” 

TK shook his head fondly and placed his hand on top of the one resting on his shoulder. “You’re a menace,” he accused lightly. 

Carlos nodded, “Guilty as charged.” He glanced around the room, “Any sign of the asshole?” 

TK shook his head, not even bothering to correct him, “No, but I’m sure he’s here somewhere. He’ll find me at some point I’m sure; he always was fond of making a scene.” 

Carlos scowled and TK laughed, “We’re at a wedding Carlos, relax. It’ll all be fine.” 

Carlos turned to look at TK head-on. He searched TK’s face for any sign he was lying or putting on a front. “You’re sure,” he observed, unable to keep a note of surprise out of his voice, “why?” 

“Because being here, seeing everyone again; it’s nice, but it doesn’t feel like home. I love the city, but it doesn’t feel like home anymore either.”

“And Austin is?”

TK nodded, “I guess it is. My team is there, my dad is there, you’re there. Wherever you are will always be home to me.” 

Carlos’s breath caught in his throat. He searched TK’s face for any sign that this was a joke, something he was saying to placate or amuse Carlos. But he saw nothing but sincerity in his green eyes. “TK…” he began, though he wasn’t quite sure what he was going to say.

TK turned to face him, looking him in the eyes as he took the hand that had been on his shoulder in his own, intertwining their fingers. “Austin is my home because you are there,” he said firmly, “You are my home now, Carlos.”

Carlos swallowed thickly. He didn’t know what to say, so he used their clasped hands to pull him away from the table, to a more secluded corner of the rooftop. When they came to a halt TK was looking at him in confusion, “Why are we over here?” 

“Because I wanted to do this and I didn’t want to be rude to the other guests.” He pulled TK closer and kissed him deeply, trying to pour all the things he couldn’t find the words to say into it. 

TK responded eagerly, and when they separated, it was with beaming smiles. 

“I don’t know,” TK began coyly, “it seems a waste to walk all this way and only do that once.”

Carlos chuckled, “And you call me a menace.” But he obliged, leaning down to kiss TK again, and again.

* * *

Eventually, they rejoined the party. Shortly after they realized that they had wandered away from their drinks in Carlos’s hurry to find a secluded corner so TK volunteered to head to the bar to get replacements, leaving Carlos in conversation with one of the other guests: a Texas transplant who was all too eager to talk to Carlos about their home state. 

He made his way to the bar and placed his order, leaning back on the bar and watching the crowd as he waited. He had wanted to come to be here for his friends, but he couldn’t deny that he had been nervous. He hadn’t been sure what it would feel like to be back; if the urge to drop back into old habits would be stronger than his will to keep moving forward. He hadn’t been sure he was ready to be back, to be confronted with all the old memories. 

Now, on this rooftop in this city that he loved with Carlos; he was glad they had come. He was glad he had taken this risk. Sure, there was still the problem of Alex, but TK had meant what he said to Carlos – he wasn’t worried about it. He was with Carlos, and he was happy. Nothing Alex could do or say would change that. It had been a different person who had left the city all those months ago; someone unsure of what they wanted and caught up in someone else’s turmoil. He still wasn’t perfect, but he wasn’t that person anymore. Who he was now was someone who had no place for Alex in his life; everything that he was belonged with Carlos.

The universe must have a well-developed sense of irony, because no sooner had the thought left his head than a familiar voice sounded at his ear. “You sure you should be by a bar TK?”

TK resisted the urge to roll his eyes as he turned to find Alex standing next to him. “Hi Alex,” he said blandly.

Alex took a step closer, undeterred by TK’s unenthusiastic tone. “It’s good to see you,” he said, leaning closer, “I heard you got hurt a while ago at work, I’m glad to see you’re okay.”

TK leveled his gaze at Alex, “I was shot in the chest and spent four days in a coma,” he said plainly, “but it’s good to know that you were so concerned you couldn’t even be bothered to call.”

Alex continued on; unbothered or unaware of TK’s sarcasm, “When I heard about it, I was terrified. The thought that something could happen to you just made me so scared, and it made me realize how much I still care about you.”

He moved closer; he was almost on top of TK now. “I’m sorry for what I did, but I think that the fact that we are both here is a sign that maybe we’re meant to have a second chance.”

He looked at TK expectantly, but all TK could do was stare.

He didn’t have the slightest idea how to respond to that. He had never read the manual on what to do when the guy you broke up with when you proposed because he was cheating cornered you at a wedding and wanted you back. Really, the whole thing was ridiculous. He burst out laughing, and Alex frowned.

TK took a deep breath, controlling his laughter, “I’m sorry, I know you were trying to have a moment; but did you honestly think that would work?”

Alex recoiled, finally taking a step away from TK, “I broke up with Mitchell TK, we can be together again.”

TK couldn’t believe him. “You really think _that’s_ the issue here?” he asked incredulously.

Alex continued, “I know what I did was wrong but I was confused; I want to go back to how things were.”

“You’re really not getting it are you Alex, it’s not happening. I don’t even live here anymore.”

Alex scoffed, “Well obviously you’d need to move back from Arkansas or wherever, but New York is your home anyways, you belong here.”

“First of all, Texas. I live in Texas. Secondly, you really think I am going to upend my entire life and move across the country again for you? That’s not happening; I’ve moved on.”

Alex blinked at him, “But you love me.”

TK narrowed his eyes. He could see the drinks he had order appear at his shoulder, but he made no move to even acknowledge the bartender; his focus was solely on Alex.

“I loved you. That was my mistake.”

Now Alex outright glared at him, all pretenses of wooing him into coming back gone, “You don’t honestly think you’re going to be able to find someone else willing to deal with all your issues, do you TK? I know what happened before you left New York. I know you relapsed. Who is going to want to be with an addict who can’t even manage to stay clean?”

He froze. All of those logical arguments he had, all of the ways he was going to tell Alex to fuck off flew out of his mind. The look on Alex’s face was smug – he had hit a pressure point and he knew it. TK thought of all the things he could say; all the ways in which he was better now, stronger now. All the ways he had healed. But Alex knew exactly what he was doing – he always had. He had hit TK at his weakest point, and he had not pulled his punch.

He was still frozen when a warm hand landed on his shoulder, and a familiar voice sounded from his side, “Someone who knows how to appreciate what a wonderful person he is, unlike some.”

Carlos. Carlos had appeared out of nowhere and was now staring Alex down with a look of disdain on his face. “You must be Alex, I assume.”

Alex was looking from TK to Carlos in surprise. “You’re…” he began, but Carlos cut him off.

“I told you I was here with my boyfriend. You just never asked who that was.”

Now it was TK’s turn to look between the two of them in surprise. The pieces clicked, and TK almost laughed. Here Alex was declaring his love for him, promising him he had changed; but he had been flirting with his boyfriend not even an hour before. It was the reminder he needed – Alex would never change. He had no right lecturing TK for his mistakes. It had been Alex’s problem that had led to the end of their relationship after all, not TK’s.

Carlos went to speak again but TK laid a hand on his arm. He looked over at him and they locked eyes, before Carlos nodded; stepping back slightly.

TK turned back to Alex, “I have no interest in ever doing anything with you ever again. I’m worth a lot more than you think, and I’ve learned I deserve a lot better than you.”

Alex tried to respond, tried to interrupt but TK did not pause, “honestly, I kind of want to punch you right now and I know it would feel so good, but this is my friends’ wedding and that would be rude. Try to find someone else to dupe I guess.”

With that he grabbed the drinks and Carlos’s hand and left the bar and Alex behind.

“Have I mentioned lately that I find you very impressive?” Carlos murmured as they disappeared into the crowd of wedding guests.

TK smiled, “Maybe, but I never get tired of hearing it.”

“Well, you are one impressive guy TK Strand, and I love that about you.”

* * *

They go to get pizza after the reception, because TK insists. 

Carlos wants to argue that it is almost one in the morning, no one could possibly be open and serving pizza at this time, but TK is persistent. He follows him onto the subway with no more than a skeptical expression. When the C train grinds to a halt at the 50th street stop, TK grabs Carlos’s hand and leads him towards the exit and 9th Ave. They walk in companionable silence, hands intertwined and shoulders brushing until they reach a non-descript storefront with a short line out the door. The sign above the awning proudly proclaims, “pizza slice $1” and the red awning below simply reads “#1 pizza” without any other context or information. 

“Does this place even has a name?” he asked curiously. 

Tk considered, and shook his head, “You know, I actually don’t know.”

Carlos shakes his head, baffled. “New York is weird,” he notes.

“But where else in the world can you get a one-dollar slice of pizza that is actually decent? At 1 in the morning?”

Carlos had to concede that point, if nothing else. They wait in line, enjoying the soft late-night breeze and each other’s company. It is comfortable; familiar even in an unfamiliar setting.

They get their pizza and settle onto a bench down the block. TK is watching him, his own slice waiting in his lap. Carlos raised an eyebrow at him.

“I’m waiting to see your reaction to authentic NYC pizza,” he explained, “and for the opportunity to say I told you so, obviously.”

“Brat,” Carlos muttered, but picked up his slice regardless. He followed TK’s gestures and folded it in half before taking a bite of the piping hot cheesy slice. There was quiet for a few moments as he chewed, and TK watched him expectantly. He swallowed and met TK’s gaze, “It’s pretty good,” he allowed, and TK smiled smugly.

“I told you it was the best pizza in the world,” he reminded Carlos.

“The pizza in Austin is perfectly fine,” Carlos said defensively.

“But this is better, isn’t it?”

Carlos sighed; there was no point in lying about it, “I guess,” he replied with an air of defeat. TK punched the air triumphantly and Carlos couldn’t hold back a fond smile at the sight. “You know,” he ventures, “they say gloating is very unbecoming.”

TK looked at him with a suggestive eyebrow raised, “They do, do they?”

Carlos made a sound of affirmation and TK grinned, “What are your thoughts on the subject?”

“I think,” Carlos began, “that whoever said that had never met you. I don’t think there is anything you could do to that would be considered unbecoming.”

TK leaned closer to him, “In that case we must make quite a pair, because I was going to say the same about you.”

Carlos shook his head fondly before returning to his slice.

They ate in comfortable silence, surrounded by the nighttime happenings of Manhattan. Carlos had always figured that the name “city that never sleeps” had been a bit of an exaggeration but being here was making him start to believe it. The quality of the pizza and the truth of that cliché were not the only things he had learned during this trip. He had discovered so much about TK during this trip. Everything he had chosen to show him, every interaction with an old friend had given him another piece of that puzzle he had been trying to solve since that first night they met. 

They sat quietly, each enjoying their pizza and their own thought until TK breaks the silence.

“Thank you,” he says suddenly.

Carlos looks up from his pizza, confused. “Thank you for what?”

“For this, for being you. This and all the other little moments we have. I love that we can just be together, that our company is enough.”

Carlos smiled at him, “I like that too.”

TK returned the smile, but his voice was tense as he continued, “it was never like that with Alex. We always had to be doing something, be seen somewhere. He was all about appearances, and I was definitely a part of that. I just can’t believe it took me so long and so much to figure that out.”

“Sometimes it’s hard to see the forest through the trees,” Carlos responded with a shrug. When TK gave him a surprised look he rushed to explain, “it means…”

TK shook his head, “I know what it means, I was just surprised by how accurate it was.”

“It’s hard to see a situation clearly when you’re inside of it. That’s true for everyone TK, it doesn’t mean that you are any worse than anyone else.”

“I guess,” TK relented. “Still, thank you. This is much better. If I had known what was waiting for me, I would have ditched New York ages ago to come find you in Austin.”

Carlos laughed, “it’s pretty flattering to know that I have more appeal than the Big Apple. Though I have to say; spending some time here, I like it more than I thought I would.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah. The Statue of Liberty was cool and Central Park is gorgeous, but so far I think my favorite part has been seeing the neighborhood you grew up in, and the skate park where you thought you could be the next Tony Hawk.”

“I was good enough,” TK muttered, “I just decided to pursue a different path.”

Carlos nodded and smiled down into TK’s hair, “I’m sure you were, babe. But my point is that I’ve loved seeing all these things from your past. You may not be proud of all of it and you’ve made mistakes like we all have, but all of those things are what make you _you_ ; and I happen to be in love with you, so those are my favorite things of all.”

TK was quiet for a moment before he spoke again, voice thick with emotion, but still teasing. “Does this mean you want to go see my high school tomorrow?”

Carlos burst out laughing, “I’ll be happy to see anything you want to show me Ty, but if we do go to your high school, I’m afraid I’m going to have to demand pictures of awkward teen TK.”

TK scoffed, “Like my dad hasn’t already shown you all of them.”

There was silence for a little while as they sat intertwined on the bench. It was TK who broke the silence, his voice warm, but thick, “I really love you; you know that right?”

Carlos hummed in agreement as he kissed the top of TK’s head, “Yeah I do. Probably because I feel the same way about you.”

TK chuckled lightly, “This seems to be quite a predicament we’ve gotten ourselves into Officer Reyes, what do you think we should do about it?”

“Well,” Carlos said, pausing as if considering, “I suppose we’ll just have to deal with it.”

“Sounds awful,” TK said lightly, “I don’t know how we’ll manage.”

Carlos laughed and leaned down to kiss him. “Like that, I suppose,” he said when they separated.

TK nodded, “I guess that’ll have to do.”

Carlos chuckled and pulled him closer. He rested his head on Carlos’s shoulder and they sat there in companionable silence for a while, watching city life happen around them. It was nice to linger in this moment. There was a whole world happening around them, but they were safe here, secure in each other; unbothered by it all for just a little while.

It was a nice moment, but eventually Carlos couldn’t hold back the yawn that had been threatening any longer. The sound broke the spell and Carlos made a sound of protest as TK pulled away from him.

“Nope, you’re tired, we’re heading back to the hotel,” TK stated, offering up a hand to help Carlos off the bench. He took it, but once he was standing, he adjusted his grip so their fingers were intertwined once again. TK smiled at him, squeezing the hand holding his.

“It’s probably about a 10-minute walk back to the hotel, do you feel up to it or do you want to catch a cab instead?”

“I’m up for anything as long as I get to be with you.”

TK stifled a laugh and shook his head, “I forget how sappy you can be when you are tired. We’ll grab a cab, then.”

“No,” Carlos protested, “it’s nice out, let’s walk.”

TK shook his head at him fondly, “Okay, you win. Let’s go.”

They walked back in relative silence, but Carlos spent the time savoring everything about this moment. The sounds of the city; the feel of the night air just turning cool. The presence of TK beside him; his hand in his. Carlos committed every moment to memory. To be loved by TK Strand was a privilege, and Carlos intended to remember every moment.

* * *

Two days later, TK and Carlos were standing across the street from the 252 station again. They had just left lunch with Sania and Andi and were due to fly back to Austin later that night. They should probably be packing, but TK felt there was still one more thing he had to do.

He was looking up at the building with trepidation. Carlos was watching him closely.

“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to, that hasn’t changed.”

TK nodded, “I know that, but I think I need to. This place, these people were a huge part of my life. When I left, I was in such a bad place. Coming here now; I think it’s the closure I need. They deserve it too, I think.”

Carlos studied him. He seemed so much lighter than the last time they had stood here on this sidewalk. This trip, the chance to revisit his past; to get some closure, had done him a world of good. It made Carlos’s heart swell to him so sure, so calm.

“I’m proud of you, you know,” he said.

TK raised an eyebrow, but there was a soft smile on his face, “hold on to that thought, because that may change when you hear some of the stories they’re sure to tell you. Some of these people have known me my whole life, most have known me since I was at least a probie.”

“Well we’re definitely going in then, and you know I am asking specifically for those stories, right?”

TK shook his head and laughed, “I’d expect nothing less.”

He took Carlos’s hand in his and led him across the street, towards the station.

This station and these people were another piece of the puzzle that made up TK Strand. Carlos had been slowly gathering them since the night they met. Some came easily, others were harder to get. Some made him laugh while others made his heartache. Slowly though, they were coming together. Slowly the whole picture was coming into view. It was one Carlos was so eager to see; even if it took a lifetime to figure out.

**Author's Note:**

> Come find me on [tumblr](https://brilliantbanshee.tumblr.com/), and leave a comment if you've got a second!


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